New Clause 19 - Amendment of Road Traffic ch3Act 1988
Road Safety Bill
5:00 pm
Viscount John Thurso (Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland (And Transport), Scotland; Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, Liberal Democrat)
I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.
The new clause seeks to make provision for retro-reflective markings in primary legislation. I should declare an interest, in that I am patron of an organisation called Reflect, which brought the matter to my attention. International standard ECE 104 requires that retro-reflective tape—tape that can be seen from the side of, and from behind, the vehicle—is fitted to heavy goods vehicles, as it makes them easier to see and therefore less likely to be involved in an accident.
I understand that it is possible through existing secondary legislation to make such tape a requirement. I tabled a new clause because I believe that there is some resistance in the Government to doing that. The view is that Europe should adopt ECE 104 and that it is not appropriate for the United Kingdom to act unilaterally. However, one EU country, Italy, has already implemented the legislation and has not been subject to any action by the Commission. If Italy can do it, we can do it.
It has been said that not all vehicles can be fitted with the tape, but the number of those that cannot is minuscule. I am sure that regulations could be made in such a way that that could be dealt with. Obviously, the Government's position is that ECE 104 should be made mandatory throughout Europe—certainly that would be the best way forward—but I do not understand why we should wait for that to happen before we implement it.
For members of the Committee who are interested in the full details, there was an excellent debate in Westminster Hall. The right hon. Member for Bracknell (Mr. Mackay) powerfully set out the case in a debate on 30 March 2004, at column 381WH of Hansard. Because of the time limit, I shall not go into detail, other than to ask Members to bear it in mind that HGVs represent approximately 1.4 per cent. of the traffic on our roads, yet are involved in 15.5 per cent. of accidents. It is interesting to note that the occupants of HGVs represent 8 per cent. of the total casualties on our roads, whereas occupants of vehicles that collide with HGVs account for 26 per cent. Clearly, the danger is to those who fail to see and who collide with an HGV, rather than those who are in the HGV.
Since the matter was first discussed in 1998, when a cost-benefit analysis was done, there has been considerable movement. Loughborough is examining the evidence. I understand that the time required to fit the tape is now 90 minutes, not four hours, as was stated in 1998. That brings the cost down, and the cost of the tape itself has come down.